Rangers Sign Joakim Soria

Despite ranking as one of the best closers in baseball from 2007-10, Joakim Soria will try his hand at setting up Joe Nathan in 2013. Soria, 28, officially signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Rangers today. The contract includes a club option for 2015. The longtime Royals closer had Tommy John surgery in April, and the team declined his $8MM club option. Soria is represented by Oscar Suarez.

Soria owns a 2.40 ERA, 9.7 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 0.68 HR/9, and 160 saves in 315 1/3 career innings. The Royals picked him up in the 2006 Rule 5 draft, and he ranks third among franchise saves leaders. The Rangers had a need for a late-inning addition, having lost Mike Adams and Koji Uehara to free agency and Alexi Ogando to the rotation.